The present invention relates, in general, to a cleated athletic shoe. More particularly, this invention is concerned with an improved athletic shoe sole of the type disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,840 issued Nov. 2, 1976.
Soles of the type with which this invention is concerned are intended primarily for use on synthetic turf. As pointed out in my previous patent, a design of a sole for use on synthetic surface is not necessarily the same as the design of a sole for use on natural turf. In designing and developing soles for use on synthetic turf the peculiar properties of synthetic surfaces require a great deal of empirical determination and experimentation to determine optimum parameters. Heretofore and exemplified in my prior patent, it has been realized that adequate gripping on synthetic turfs requires maximum frictional interengagement between the sole and the turf. However, certain compromises must be made in order to provide a sole with the necessary integrity and strength required for the abusive use to which these soles are frequently subjected. In addition, certain unobvious modifications are required to improve the efficiency of the soles heretofore in use as exemplified by my prior patent.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved athletic sole construction designed particularly for use on synthetic turfs. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sole construction for use on synthetic turfs which construction provides greater structural integrity of the sole and in addition provides sole construction which can be secured more firmly to the upper of the athletic footwear.
The improved structural integrity of the footwear is provided by elimination of the peripheral cleats in the toe area and by modifying the foremost of these peripheral cleats. In this connection, it has been determined that elongated peripheral cleats in the toe area, as used in my original patent, will, when subject to substantial abuse, break or wear more readily than the other peripheral cleats. By eliminating the elongated peripheral cleat in the toe area and by substituting specially designed peripheral cleats in the toe area, the structure and integrity of the sole is improved and the ability of the wearer to get faster starts in running on synthetic surfaces is substantially improved.
A further object of the present invention provides a cleated sole having an integrally formed peripheral flange that is specially designed for attachment by stitching or otherwise to the shoe upper. This construction is easily fabricated and is durable and relatively inexpensive to make.